War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line
By David Nott
The horror of the humanitarian crises pictured in David Nott’s ‘War Doctor’ surpasses any other that I’ve heard of, or would believe in. The book utilises emotive language, vividly describing numerous appalling scenes, oftentimes written as a first-hand account. Through the recounts, readers are given the illusion of witnessing all these, and are able to gain some insight into the horrific nature of war.
Nott narrates several events, of which shocking to most of us but sadly routine to those living in conflict zones.
From seeing innocent civilians shot by snipers for a mere competition to witnessing citizens beheaded for opposing regimes or terrorists, the trauma surgeon has also been a witness to the horror of chemical weapons; once civilised cities destroyed in an instant; bodies shattered in all forms. Traumatic, yet routine to these civilians of war-torn countries. Of whom are oftentimes desensitised to the horrors of war, so much so that they can no longer feel as much grief for lives lost.
These scenes that Nott witnessed and experienced were in great contrast to the tranquil village in Wales that he was brought up in and incomparable to the hustle and bustle of city life in London that he worked in. While he could have certainly enjoyed life in a peaceful society, Nott chose the road less traveled, risking his life to care for the forgotten, for those suffering lives we could barely imagine, for those who lacked privileges most of us take for granted.
PHOTO CREDIT: David Nott Foundation
He credits the purpose of his life path to a mixture of altruism and thrill brought forth by these medical missions.
In the first half of the book, Nott gives insight into his upbringing, sharing his obsession with flying which helped pave the way for his medical career as a surgeon. His desire to undertake missions was brought about by his viewing of the film ‘The Killing Fields’. Following which, he had an epiphany; it’s “always the weak who come off worst”.
He started off his first mission with the Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in the city of Sarajevo, just a year after he became a consultant. In a medical mission trip to Aleppo, Syria (where the aforementioned ‘Sniper City’ is located), Nott found himself facing an ethical dilemma - a sniper of the terrorist camp was injured. Was saving him of beneficence or would it be of maleficence? Considering the actions likely committed by the sniper, it is easy to cast judgement. Yet Nott firmly believed that it was simply his duty to save a life. His decision truly embodies the ethical pillar of justice - to treat all equally and equitably, to respect the value of a human life.
Nott’s writing style is thought provoking and reflective, giving us greater insight into the life of a humanitarian. There is truly much that we can learn from. I am left in genuine awe and am full of respect for the courage of humanitarians like Nott, even more so for those living and bravely surviving in areas torn apart by war. I highly recommend anyone interested in the nature of humanitarian work to give this book a read as it gives great insight into the pain, and at times elation, stemming from medical miracles, of working in a war zone.
Even if you have no aspirations of becoming a war-zone doctor, I would encourage all who are considering a career in medicine to read this book as there is truly much to learn from Nott’s selflessness and ethical judgement, amongst many others.
And, the surgical procedures involved are truly mesmerising - how they managed to, under extreme time pressure, complete medical miracles using minimal equipment, while having little blood available for transfusion, still confounds me. Needless to say, I am truly full of admiration for Nott and his team.
PHOTO CREDIT: David Nott Foundation (Annabel Moeller photography)
All in all, if I were to describe this book in one paragraph, it would be the following: prepare yourself to ride the highs and lows of Nott’s thrilling journey as a humanitarian trauma surgeon; Prepare yourself to witness the most outrageous experiences one would ever face; Prepare yourself to get disheartened from the cruelty and barbarity of a regime, but - prepare yourself to find your faith in humanity restored over and over again as you read about people who have devoted their lives to seeing strangers through their medical recovery.
Written by Beata Wong 7 August 2020